Linda Eastman marries Paul McCartney.
In 1969, Linda Eastman lived the dream of many Beatles’ fans when she married Paul McCartney at Marylebone Registry Office in London. But at that point she had already accomplished what many would envy.
Born on September 24, 1941 in Scarsdale, New York to Leopold Vail Epstein (the son of Jewish immigrants who had changed his name to Lee Eastman) and Louise Lindner Eastman (daughter of the founder of the Lindner Company clothing store), she’d had the song “Linda” written for her by a friend of her father’s and recorded by Buddy Clark in 1947. While studying fine art at the University of Arizona, she worked as a receptionist for Town and Country magazine. Using a discarded invitation to a Rolling Stones promotional party on a boat in the Hudson River, she photographed the event and the band. As the house photographer at the Fillmore East in New York, she began documenting the music scene of the mid-sixties. Her photograph of Eric Clapton made her the first female photographer featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
On assignment to cover the “Swinging Sixties,” she met McCartney at a club, then again at the release party for the Beatles’ album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. After their marriage, Linda added music to her repertoire of talents, recording the album Ram, forming and touring with the band Wings with her husband, and co-writing the couple’s Oscar-nominated song Live and Let Die.
She continued her career as a photographer throughout her life, documenting family life, landscapes, and artists’ portraits. Her photos are collected in the Study Archive on her website, illustrating the breadth and depth of her work in photography.
In 1989, she united two personal passions by saving the lives of animals through promoting a vegetarian lifestyle. She wrote two best-selling cookbooks, and in 1991 launched a brand of readymade meat-free meals that are now the most popular vegetarian foods in Britain.
Diagnosed with cancer in 1995, McCartney died on April 17, 1998. Her husband continued her legacy with several musical compositions dedicated to her, as well as through charitable contributions to animal rights organizations and cancer research.
Source: Linda McCartney; “March 12: Maybe He’s Amazed,” Jewish Currents.
I admired Linda for her promotion of animal rights and vegetarian food. She was the pioneer for frozen vegetarian food and made this mainstream. I get the impression she wasn't too fussy about the 'Lady' title and when asked if anyone had ever referred to her as Lady Linda said she thought someone had once. She once asked Prince Phillip why he shot birds so I get the impression she wasn't fussy on royalty as they all hunt and shoot. Linda certainly made the world a better place.
'Lady McCartney' the title she received, when her husband was made a Knight of The British Empire, by the Queen: was truly deserved. Her talent's ; her commitment's to her 'Causes' were life-long and passionate, as was here love and devotion to her husband and their children. Truly: "Lady Linda."